... as a halfway measure to going barefoot? I'm thinking about taking my boy barefoot but wondered if it might be easier to take the backs off first for a few months and then once they are hard and transitioned take the fronts off? Has anyone done this and if so, were your horses fine with the backs off or footy? I don't hear many people having boots for back feet so presume horses cope ok?
Has anyone taken hind shoes off first ...
- Thread starter JULIA G
- Start date
I know a lot of horses who just have fronts on, our heavy cob being one of them, definately think taking the hinds off first is a good idea. Unfortunately when we tried taking the front off our cob wore her feet down too much.
Mine had his back off first, not really as a transition plan at the time, more that he had to have egg bars on the fronts (140 quid a pair!)and wasnt being ridden so it made sense.
He was absolutely fine. Eventaully got to the point where he could have the fronts off and he has been really sore bless him. Backs were definitley easier!
He was absolutely fine. Eventaully got to the point where he could have the fronts off and he has been really sore bless him. Backs were definitley easier!
My mare has her back shoes off and has for a while, to see how we go through the winter. She seems to be doing ok though.
When Peri was 7 months preggers with Belle I pulled her back shoes and when she had no problems, pulled the fores at the next shoeing 6 weeks later. She never took a sore step so I can't say she even had a transition period.
I did put her foreshoes back on after Belle was weaned as she was wearing her front feet down too much when she came back into full competition work. I pulled them again about 18 months ago when she retired from competition. She went with no hind shoes throughout that time (four years).
She is currently preggers with her second foal and I've had to shoe her all round again - for some bizarre reason her mane, tail and feet barely grow in the first 6 months of pregnancy and she was wearing her feet away faster than they were growing and was becoming incredibly foot sore. She's just been reshod and farrier says her feet have hardly grown in the last 6 weeks so going to keep the shoes on until Christmas to try and build up the foot stock she has lost before i take her back to barefoot for foaling.
I did put her foreshoes back on after Belle was weaned as she was wearing her front feet down too much when she came back into full competition work. I pulled them again about 18 months ago when she retired from competition. She went with no hind shoes throughout that time (four years).
She is currently preggers with her second foal and I've had to shoe her all round again - for some bizarre reason her mane, tail and feet barely grow in the first 6 months of pregnancy and she was wearing her feet away faster than they were growing and was becoming incredibly foot sore. She's just been reshod and farrier says her feet have hardly grown in the last 6 weeks so going to keep the shoes on until Christmas to try and build up the foot stock she has lost before i take her back to barefoot for foaling.
EnduranceAli
Active Member
Just taken Ben's hind shoes off today. He is not being worked much now and would eventually like to see him barefoot all round, but we did attempt this last winter and he was so sore that he had to be on box rest for 5 days 
He walked happily up the yard back to the field afterwards, so will exercise him gently over the coming weeks and see how he copes.
Ali xx
He walked happily up the yard back to the field afterwards, so will exercise him gently over the coming weeks and see how he copes.Ali xx
Thanks for your replies, I think its one of those things I'll just have to try it and see as horses are all different. Just thought if my ned was happy without back shoes, (whether or not I then go on to be completely barefoot), 2 shoes have got to be better than 4 and cheaper too
Y
Yann
Guest
Most horses manage pretty well without back shoes, they all have to have the hinds off when they come to our yard and quite a few haven't bothered putting them back on. Unfortunately doing well without back shoes doesn't necessarily mean they'll do the same in front.
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